Proton Energy Receives Follow-On $1.9M Award for Hydrogen Station Development

30 November 2005

Proton Energy Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Distributed Energy Systems Corp. has received its third consecutive award from the University of Nevada Las Vegas Research Foundation (UNLVRF) to continue its development of hydrogen fueling stations for automobiles and other motor vehicles.

The $1.9 million award, funded by the US Department of Energy, allows Proton and UNLVRF to continue their collaboration that began in 2003 to develop advanced hydrogen fueling technologies.

The fueling station’s design is expected to incorporate a high-capacity electrolyzer, capable of generating up to 12 kilograms per day of hydrogen—enough to fuel at least two fuel-cell light duty vehicles.

This electrolyzer will also incorporate higher-pressure capability, enabling the reduction of the downstream compression required to store high-pressure hydrogen onboard a vehicle.

The high-pressure unit enables safe, fast and efficient hydrogen fueling that is more competitive, from a procedural and timing point of view, with the way vehicles are filled using more traditional fuels.

The R&D project will also seek to add natural gas blending capability for compressed natural gas vehicles, which already exist in Las Vegas.

UNLVRF is also leading a research consortium including Altair Nanotechnologies and Hydrogen Solar to further the development of solar hydrogen generation cells. (Earlier post.)